2023 marks the 60th Anniversary of the Office of Art in Embassies. The Democracy Collection initiative will bring art diplomacy for democracy to every hemisphere through artist exchanges, traveling exhibitions, civic engagements, events at cultural institutions, and an outreach program to expand AIE’s diplomatic art repository at the service of U.S. diplomats for generations to come.

At the U.S. Department of State Summit for Democracy in December 2021, President Joseph Biden declared, “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.” At that same Summit, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken called upon fellow democratic nations to develop action plans for strengthening democracy around the world, saying, “Democracy is facing a moment of reckoning.” The Democracy Collection initiative, marking 60 years of Art in Embassies, is a project of the Summit for the Democracy convened regularly by the President and the Secretary of State.

On September 19th, artist-filled public programming kicked off the opening of the traveling exhibition “A More Perfect Union: American Artists and the Currents of Our Time.”  Kal Penn, Deborah Kass, Hank Willis Thomas, Sanford Biggers, Alfre Woodard, Alexis Rockman, and more participated in a variety of talks and panels.  This day was made possible in partnership with Art in Embassies, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy to present exhibition tours by artists, conversations about the relationship between art and democracy in America, and demonstrations and activities to engage museum visitors.

As part of the Democracy Collection initiative, Art in Embassies has invited supporters, artists and lenders to participate in a video, asking them to finish the sentence “Democracy Is…” Their responses highlight the diversity and vitality of our community and the unique perspectives of artists on the essence of democracy. The video will be showcased across various venues in 2023.

Art in Embassies and the National Art Education Association’s art competition, launched on February 15, 2023. The best of show was named by the competition’s jury, including graphic artist Shepard Fairey, and was honored at Art in Embassies’ 60th anniversary celebration at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

With the help of philanthropists, foundations, collectors, artists, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, a new Democracy Collection of artworks will be ready for ambassadors who will serve during the 250th Celebration of America in 2026. Donating artworks, helping forge relationships with donors, and directly supporting shipping, handling, and support of this collection, these partners are adding to front line soft power tools defending democracy.